The Mission to rescue Love
by BlackWolfOfTheTurks
Summary: Sequel to 'Undying Emotions'. Two years after Kai's disappearence, Tsukino finds the courage to make a new boyfriend. However, his mysterious sister Kasumi proves to be of significant importance...
1. Zaku

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN BEYBLADE OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS. THIS IS JUST A FAN-MADE STORY!

Light filtered in through the window, illuminating the harmoniously decorated bedroom. The girl lay motionless in her bed, her cat curled up next to her, and the bedsheets strewn about them in an unordered fashion. Feeling the light of day on her face, the girls's eyes twitched and slowly began to open.

So, another day has dawned, she thought.

Sitting up in bed, she yawned and flexed the muscles in her arms, then ran a hand through her cat's brown fur.

It had been two years since Kai's death, two terrible, difficult years. Tsukino was now eighteen years old, and had managed to recover from her shock. And yet...Kai had never left her mind, or her heart.

Despite this, six months ago, she had been invited on a date by her new friend, Zaku, who had found her irresistibly attractive. She had accepted, desperate to have her mind taken off her grief, and soon found herself being kissed passionately on the lips. Despite this, despite returning the kiss, Tsukino had felt nothing, absolutely nothing.

And up until now, until this very moment, she was his girlfriend merely to aid her recuperation, and not because she loved him. How could she ever love him, when her heart was eternally sealed with Kai's?

Zaku had a likeable personality, and was quite good-looking. He had spiky blond hair and deep blue eyes, like the very ocean. He was slightly taller than her, and had a fine, rosy complexion. He often complimented Tsukino on looking very pretty, but he could have showered her in gold and pearls for all the good it did because Tsukino felt nothing related to love for him. He was a good friend, nothing more, nothing less.

She often felt sorry for indirectly playing with his feelings, she really did, and even worse was that girls all around wanted to go out with him, but couldn't because she was hogging him...

At least, at least I'm granting his wish to be with me, after all, he was the one who fell head over heels in love with me, thought Tsukino.

But Kai...whenever she looked at him, all she could see was Kai, and she truly doubted whether she would ever get over him. Two years had passed and had done nothing to soften her emotions towards him. Her deep and promising love had remained the same, reserved in a place within her heart which nobody could ever replace.

At 10:00am that morning, Tsukino left the house to go meet up with Zaku himself. It was a bright morning, sunny and peaceful. It was summer, and the temperature was particularly high today.

Zaku was waiting on a bench in the street, close to the busy marketplace. He wore an orange shirt, denim shorts and matching sandals, and was whistling merrily to himself.

"Hey Tsuki!" he called out when he saw her approaching.

Tsukino hated when he called her 'Tsuki', because it was what Kai often called her.

"Hey Zaku!" she called back.

"You okay, sunshine?" he asked, standing up to greet her.

"Yeah, I'm good. How about you?" she asked.

"I'm great now!" said Zaku, winking cheekily at her.

"So, where are we going today?" asked Tsukino.

"Oh today, well, I've decided that I would like to take you to meet my family today!" said Zaku.

"Wha? Really?" asked Tsukino, surprised at this offer.

"Yep! What do ya think? You wanna?" he asked.

"Heh, yeah sure. Okay!" Tsukino agreed, and from there on, Zaku took the lead, guiding Tsukino towards his house.


	2. The Mysterious Kasumi

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN BEYBLADE OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS. THIS IS JUST A FAN-MADE STORY!

Zaku's house was nothing like Kai's had been, obviously. It was an ordinary house amidst others, white-washed and bright, with an oak front door.

"Not much, huh?" he admitted.

"Better small but with family, then large and empty," said Tsukino.

"Totally right there!" said Zaku, and with that he opened the door and stepped aside to allow her in.

"Mum! Dad! There's someone I want you to meet!" he yelled.

A while later, a man and a woman stepped out into the small hallway. His father was tall and lean, and looked rather menacing. He had short brown hair and blue eyes similar to his son's. His mother on the other hand was only slightly taller than Zaku, and appeared to be rather laid back. She had shoulder-length blonde hair, streaked with soft brown lights, and a fringe covering her forehead.

"Mum, dad, this is my girlfriend, Tsukino," said Zaku.

"Nice to meet you Tsukino," said his mother, shaking her hand: "Zaku's told us so much about you!"

"I've no doubt!" Tsukino giggled: "Pleasure to meet you both!"

"You can make yourself at home here, Tsuki," said Zaku, waltzing into the tiny kitchen on the left.

"It's a nice you've got here though," Tsukino admitted, surveying the beautiful antique furniture with interest.

"We inherited most of it from our grandparents," said Zaku: "I prefer modern though."

"Still, it adds to the decor," said Tsukino.

"And it has a sentimental value, Zaku," his father scolded him: "You should appreciate it!"

"I do! I'm just saying I prefer modern! Yeesh!" Zaku sighed.

"It's beautiful, Mr. Shibata," said Tsukino.

"See? Your girlfriend has better taste than you do," said his father.

"Whadever," Zaku grumbled.

"Honey, isn't it time you went to work?" Zaku's mum pointed out to her husband, inclining her head towards the clock on the wall.

"Oh crap! You're right! I'm gonna be late, see you Tsukino!" he said quickly, grabbing his briefcase beside the table and turning to rush out of the house.

"Hey! What about us?" Zaku called back, but the sound of the frontdoor closing told him that he had left.

Tsukino giggled as Zaku shook his head in mock annoyance.

"Come on Tsukino, lets go upstairs to my room," he said.

As they were going up the flight of stairs, a door at the end of the upstairs corridor opened and a young girl emerged, probably in her late 20's.

"Ah, Kasumi! Hey listen, I'd like you to meet someone!" he said quickly.

Kasumi approached them and Zaku said: "Tsukino, this is my older sister, Kasumi. Kasumi, this is my girlfriend Tsukino."

"Ahh, so you're the famous Tsukino. Zaku hasn't stopped speaking about you, saying what a beautiful flower you were," said Kasumi in a deep, sly voice.

"Kas! Quit it!" Zaku snapped, going red.

"It's nice to meet you," she said, stretching out a pale, thin hand with long, claw-like fingernails, which Tsukino shook.

There was something peculiar about Kasumi. She was most certainly mysterious, and there was a secretive air about her. She was tall and slender, with a pretty, heart-shaped face, and pale skin contrasting with her jet-black hair which was gathered into a long ponytail. She wore a black tank top and torn jeans, which appeared to be thick despite the stifling heat.

As soon as Zaku and Tsukino entered his bedroom, he said: "Interesting girl, huh?"

"She is indeed," Tsukino agreed.

"She's pretty secretive, but she's so damn cool," said Zaku: "You know what her job is?"

"Her job? Umm, let me guess," said Tsukino.

"Pointless, you never will. 'Cause it's pretty unique. You see, Kasumi's a spy!" said Zaku.

"No way! Seriously?" Tsukino gasped in amazement.

"Yep! She works in private to gather info on criminals and evil doers. It's pretty dangerous but she never fails!" said Zaku.

"How interesting! Wish I could get a job like that!" Tsukino admitted.

"Heh, it's pretty hard! You gotta go through never ending training sessions, and you have to be an athlete too," Zaku explained.

"An athlete?" Tsukino repeated.

"Yep! To take the fastest way out when things get rough! She even jumps from buildings!" said Zaku.

"Now you're bluffing," said Tsukino.

"No really! Man, I saw her with my own eyes!" said Zaku.

"Wow...that's amazing!" said Tsukino.

I'd like to find out more about this, Kasumi...thought Tsukino.


	3. Love Unbroken

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN BEYBLADE OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS. THIS IS JUST A FAN-MADE STORY!

Tsukino was sitting in a chair in her backyard, reading a novel. Her backyard wasn't so big, but it was nice, with its red tiled floor and small stone shed in the corner. A white, brick fountain was attached to the wall opposite, with a few fish swimming inside the now green liquid. At the end of the yard was a small fenced area, covered with soil where a lemon tree grew and a big tortoise the size of an adult's shoe trudged slowly in.

Suddenly, the door opened and Tsukino's sister stepped out.

"Ugh! I can't stand the smell of mum's damn cigarettes! Seriously, when the hell is she gonna quit?" she grumbled.

"Never Kaya, get used to it," said Tsukino.

"Hmph," Kaya began to check her long fingernails, which were painted a rich magenta.

Catching sight of her sister's fingernails, Tsukino was suddenly reminded of Zaku's sister.

"Hey, Kaya," said Tsukino.

"What?" asked Kaya in a bored tone.

"Um, my boyfriend...Zaku...um, he has an older sister too," said Tsukino.

"And...?" Kaya began to fidget with the nail on her left hand's index finger.

"Her name's Kasumi, and she's a spy!"

"What? Seriously?" said Kaya, starting to get interested.

"Yep! She's so cool! Zaku said that it's a really tough job! Man, I wish you were like her," said Tsukino.

"Why? Am I not cool?" asked Kaya suspiciously.

"Well..." Tsukino hesitated.

"Well?" Kaya exclaimed.

"Yeah, I guess," Tsukino said quickly.

A pause, then:

"So Tsukino, what do you think about Zaku?"

"Huh? Oh, um...he-he's a good...friend," said Tsukino.

"Just a good friend? You DO know that you're supposed to be his-"

"-girlfriend, yeah," Tsukino finished the sentence for her.

"Well then, I don't get it, why are you with him?" Kaya persisted.

"He loves me," Tsukino replied simply.

"But you don't love him, right?" asked Kaya.

Tsukino nodded, feeling as though she had let Zaku down all over again.

"And, um...I-I hope I can bring it up, but um...do you still, you know, feel for...?" Kaya was trying to steer clear of Kai's name.

"Kaya, I will never, ever, stop loving Kai, never," said Tsukino.

Kaya was at a loss at what to say, so she merely shrugged, a helpless look on her face, and turned to go back indoors.

When the door closed behind her, Tsukino raised her head towards the sky, which was getting darker by the minute, and some stars where beginning to make an appearance.

"Kai..." she whispered: "Can you see me? Are you watching over me?"

And a small, silent tear escaped sadly down her cheek.


	4. The Angel of Hope

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN BEYBLADE OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS. THIS IS JUST A FAN-MADE STORY!

The two blades clanged into eachother, the sharp sound of iron on iron echoing with their impact. Each time they swung through the air, slicing swiftly through in order to make contact once again with eachother.

"Come on Kai, or you'll just get injured again!" the oldest one said, aiming to dive his blade into his younger cousin's skin.

"You're not even giving me a chance, dammit!" Kai tried desperately to defend himself, keeping his eyes focused on Mitsuhide's lethal blade.

"A Chance? Who the hell said you were supposed to get one?" Mitsuhide laughed, swinging his sword ferociously at Kai's bare arm, slicing through it, reopening a past wound and further deepening it.

Kai yelled in pain and stepped back, grabbing his injured arm which began to bleed ferociously.

Mitsuhide took the advantage and kicked him sharply in his gut, causing Kai to stumble and crash to the ground.

Ahhh, just like the good old days, thought Mitsuhide, approaching Kai with his silver sword, now stained red with Kai's blood.

Kai glanced fearfully up at his only family, afraid that this would be his last. But Mitsuhide merely grinned and chuckled sarcastically.

"As much as I would simply love to kill you, I'm afraid that I still need you alive, hmph," he said.

Kai sighed and turned to look at his hand, which was sloshed red with blood from his wounded arm.

It had been two, painful, tough, cruel years since he had been kidnapped. He was eighteen now, and hadn't changed at all, save for the deadened look in his eyes. He was treated miserably by Boris and his cousin, who both took pleasure in torturing him and watching him suffer. But amidst all the pain he was forced to endure, was a shining ray of hope: Tsukino. He missed her so much that it hurt to think about her, and he wondered how she was doing. Being kept away from her against his will was torture in itself.

He was forced to train hard to help the two people he hated the most to rule the world, and often ended up getting injured, like today. He was punished severely when he did not comply, and had to resume his training the following day despite the excruciating pain he felt.

Dammit, how long will this keep up? When will they let me stop? He often thought, but no answer ever came.

"We're done for today. Get on your feet, now," Mitsuhide ordered, waiting impatiently for Kai to stand.

Knowing that he had no choice (unless he felt like getting beaten to death) he gingerly stood up and went near Mitsuhide. His cousin took out a length of rope and bound Kai's wrists together behind his back. Then he grabbed Kai's injured arm and led him out of the room and towards his cell.

"Could you at least grab my other arm?" Kai asked angrily.

Mitsuhide's response was to squeeze on his wound, making Kai cry out.

"Being pathetic won't help me take over the world. I want strong soldiers not weak crybabies," said Mitsuhide.

When they reached Kai's cell, Mitsuhide flung open the door and tossed him inside, slamming the door behind him and locking it.

Kai was overcome by a wave of dizziness and he leaned back against the cold wall behind him, resting his head against the stone wall. He hated his kidnappers so bitterly that he felt prepared to murder them with his bare hands. He wanted to stop them from achieving power not help them!

But as all these thoughts swirled through his mind, he was comforted by the one pleasant thought that overcame them all.

Tsukino, I'll live for you, he thought.


	5. Kasumi's Mission

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN BEYBLADE OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS. THIS IS JUST A FAN-MADE STORY!

Kasumi drove through the dark streets at night, which were lit only by a series of orange street lamps. She was wearing her formal black suit and matching stilettos, and her long hair cascaded in a black waterfall down her back. She was making her way to her secret headquarters, where her bosses awaited to assign her to a new mission. She had just accomplished her previous one, which was to gain information on a gang of criminals who got together in the backstreets. Now she eagerly awaited her new assignment, hoping it would be an exciting and financially worthwhile one.

As she pulled into the small parking space beside the tall building, she could see her boss's office from the top window, which was dimly lit. She turned off the car engine and stepped out of her black sports car, slamming the door behind her and locking it with her automatic key.

As she approached the main door, she took out her card from her coat pocket and slid it through the door, which clicked open. Then she climbed up the stone steps to the office and knocked on the door.

"Come in," said a man's voice.

Twisting the doorknob, she pulled the door open and entered. Sergei was standing beside the desk, watching her through his dark sunglasses, and Ludovico was searching something on the computer. They were both in their late 30's, secretive and intimidating, but very strict on their jobs. Sergei had been a member of the police in his 20's, and Ludovico had trained with the military forces.

"Ah, Kasumi," Sergei greeted her.

"So, what's my mission for today?" she asked.

"Eager, are we? Hm, you'll see in a moment," said Ludovico: "Sergei, please explain the main details."

"Of course. The thing is, Kasumi, that we received a phone call from the police this morning, asking us to check out a certain criminal mastermind who has been quite an issue these last few years. His name is Boris Balkov, I assume you've heard of him?" said Sergei.

"Yes, I have. What about him?" asked Kasumi.

"Well the thing is that Mitsuhide Hiwatari, another dangerous criminal who massacred his entire family, has remained unheard of for quite a while and we think that they are working together. But there is something which is of even greater concern," said Sergei.

"How so?" asked Kasumi.

"Do you remember the case of Mitsuhide's only cousin, Kai Hiwatari, who was classified dead two years ago? We think that he may still be alive," Sergei concluded.

"Alive?" Kasumi gasped: "He was burnt alive!"

"Or was he?" Ludovico interrupted: "We think that Mitsuhide and Boris staged his death and kidnapped the boy for themselves. Your mission, Kasumi, is to join them and find out what they're planning, and if they have Kai."

"Understood," she said.

This is going to be dangerous, she inwardly thought, but this boy's life might be on the line here...


	6. Deadly Mistake

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN BEYBLADE OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS. THIS IS JUST A FAN-MADE STORY!

The following afternoon, something happened that made Kai wish he was dead. He would have given anything to turn back time and stop himself from doing what he had done, but it was too late now, what was done had been done.

It had started when he had been taken to his cell after a hard morning's training, and somehow, Mitsuhide had actually forgotten to lock the door. Noticing this, Kai could barely believe his luck. If he tried hard to keep himself hidden, and make no sound, then perhaps he could find his way out of here!

This is my only chance! He thought, I have to try my best and escape, or I'll be locked up in here forever!

He stood up and walked over to the door, and opened it slowly, checking around. He could see no one in sight, so he tore out of the room and began running down the corridor, fearing that at any moment he might bump into someone. But he ran onwards, desperate to keep going, to make it to the exit and back home, to Tsukino.

He had to!

Suddenly though, he heard footsteps approaching and quickly hid inside one of the rooms on his side. It was dark, but rather spacious. While he was inside, however, the door opened, and standing in it, silhouetted against the white light behind him, was his dear cousin.

"Kai...you did not really think I would let you escape, did you?" he said softly.

Fear flooding through him, Kai stepped back, knowing that he was done for. He stared at his cousin's black figure, not once taking his eyes off him.

Mitsuhide stepped inside the room, approaching Kai slowly. He stared at his fearful form, sensed his desperation to get away from him, and thrived in it.

"There's no escape, Kai," he said calmly: "You'll be here for as long as we desire."

"I'm no one's puppet! You have no right to keep me here against my will!" Kai protested angrily.

"Really?" asked Mitsuhide, getting closer and closer to him.

"Yeah, so get out of my way, bastard," Kai spat, glaring fiercely at him.

Mitsuhide stopped in his tracks, unmoving.

"What did you just call me?" he asked.

"A sick bastard, a loser who depends on me and will never admit it," said Kai.

Suddenly, Mitsuhide flew at him, slamming Kai into the wall and began hitting him with a force derived from his rage, trying his best to hurt Kai as much as possible. Kai tried his best to shield himself, but Mitsuhide was strong, and Kai's present fragility made him weak.

Mitsuhide grabbed his arms and pulled while aiming a sharp kick in his gut, his boot connecting sharply with Kai's unprotected skin. Kai flew forward and sank his teeth into Mitsuhide's neck, biting so hard that blood, red and warm, splashed against his teeth. Enraged, Mitsuhide knocked him down to floor and aimed a punch in his chest, which was so hard that Kai felt a couple of ribs breaking. He screamed in pain and kicked up at his cousin, but it had no effect on his strength. Instead, Mitsuhide grabbed Kai's arm and twisted it sharply behind his back, pulling until he heard the satisfying sound of breaking bones. Kai screamed, a blood-curling scream which echoed throughout the room, and tears sprang out of his eyes.

"Get off me! Get off me!" Kai yelled, breathing in sharply, his broken ribs stinging his chest with every agonising breath.

"APOLOGISE! NOW!" Mitsuhide thundered, continuing to twist Kai's broken arm.

"NO! NEVER!" Kai bellowed, before screaming once more in pain.

Suddenly, someone dashed inside the room and pulled them apart, and the lights came on. A man was holding Mitsuhide back and other held Kai down whilst Boris stood staring at them.

"What's going on here?" he asked.

"That beast insulted me! Said I actually DEPENDED on him! He needs to be taught a lesson!" Mitsuhide growled angrily, glaring daggers at Kai.

"He deserves it! You both deserve hell, the worst of hell for what you're making me go through! I hate you both so much, I wish I could kill you! I hate you, I curse you, I want to see you burn in the hottest parts of hell!" Kai shouted, red in the face with rage and effort.

For a heart-stopping moment, no one said anything, and one of the worst moments of silence in history passed between them.

"Is that so?" Boris finally spoke in a calm, deadly voice.

Then, turning to the man holding Kai, he said: "You know where to take him."


	7. Life or Death

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN BEYBLADE OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS. THIS IS JUST A FAN-MADE STORY!

From that afternoon until the evening, Kai went through the worst torture he had ever been through in his entire life. He was dragged inside the torture room and chained upside down from the roof, while Mitsuhide whipped him endlessly with a whip spiked with sharp talons which tore off Kai's skin wherever they hit. After five minutes of this, Mitsuhide unchained him, letting him crash to the floor in a bloody heap, and stepped down on his nose, crushing it. Then he pressed down on his wounds, digging in his nails and tearing them opening, listening to Kai's deafening screams, which would have terrorised the soul of any who heard them. After forcing them to bleed, Mitsuhide cruelly rubbed vinegar onto them, until Kai lost consciousness with pain.

Damn brat, he faints in the middle of my fun! He thought angrily.

No matter how much he tried to kick him awake, Kai would not even stir.

Surely he hadn't...?

"You killed him?" Boris shouted, ten minutes afterwards.

"He's not dead yet, but in a dire state. So what! So what Boris! I'm sick of the damn brat! I hate him, so much that it's like poison running through my veined everytime I look at him!" Mitsuhide growled. He looked a mess, having put so much effort in torturing Kai. His long hair was ruffled and some fell over his reddened face, and his eyes were bloodshot and wide, a look of fierce rage, hatred and insanity brightening them. Boris could hardly believe what a devil the young man was, and in his current state, he looked physically and emotionally identical to one.

"Sir!" one of his men called out, rushing out of the medical room where Kai was being checked.

"Well?" Boris asked immediately.

"He isn't dead yet, but in his current state, we're not really sure what path he'll take," said the doctor.

"Keep him alive, I need him for my plans. Is that understood?" Boris ordered.

"Yes sir!" the doctor said quickly before rushing back inside.

"I did tell you to torture him to hell, but not to kill him!" he said, turning to Mitsuhide.

"Listen Boris," Mitsuhide said angrily: "If you want that, that, monster, alive, I suggest that you keep him well away from me."

And with that, he turned and stomped off down the corridor.


	8. Equal Satisfaction

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN BEYBLADE OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS. THIS IS JUST A FAN-MADE STORY!

The following day, at 3:00 in the afternoon, Mitsuhide made his way to Boris's office. He had refused to be informed on Kai's health, but now he was getting sick of being left in the dark.

I'm such a confused mess! And it's all that piece of filth's fault! Dammit, I can't hate him anymore than this! He raged to himself.

As he got to the office, he placed his hand on the doorknob and was about to open it, when he heard voices coming from inside...

"I wish to help you, to serve you, Mr. Balkov. I've always been inspired by world domination," a woman's husky voice said.

"Indeed? Well well, you certainly are an interesting one, aren't you," Boris's voice said.

Curious, Mitsuhide knocked, and when Boris asked him to enter, he immediately went in.

Inside the office were Boris, sitting at his desk, and a young woman about his age, formally dressed in a black suit the colour of her long hair, with pale skin and harsh make-up that made her look intimidating.

"Mitsuhide, this young woman, Leah, wishes to aid us in our plans, said Boris.

Leah turned and surveyed him curiously, with a strange smile.

My my, what a beautiful damsel, Mitsuhide thought to himself. Instantly his mind formed visions of him and this woman, ruling over the world as an unstoppable king and queen. What a perfect idea!

"I would be honoured to have this young lady working alongside us!" he said immediately.

Leah smiled and turned to Boris, who was already sensing Mitsuhide's thoughts.

"Your skills will be an asset to us. We would be delighted to accept you, Leah," said Boris.

"My thanks! I will do what I can to wipe out those who stand in our way," said Leah.

She's just as I hoped she would be, yes, certainly of significant importance, thought Boris satisfactorily.

So far...so good, thought Kasumi.

Leah...you're mine, thought Mitsuhide.


	9. The Words of a Mother

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN BEYBLADE OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS. THIS IS JUST A FAN-MADE STORY!

Such...darkness...Such...cold...

Kai wished he knew where he was, but he couldn't see a thing. And he felt cold, so cold, and lonely...

"Kai..."

"Who's there?" Kai called out, feeling afraid.

"Kai...my darling..."

It sounded like a woman's voice, but who's?

"Wh-who are you?" he called out.

"Kai..." and suddenly, through the darkness, he saw her, a woman with soft brown hair and violet eyes, perfectly identical to his.

Was she...was she his...

"Mother?" he asked.

"Sweetheart, you're my only son...I can't bear to watch them hurt you...torture you...when I love you so dearly...my son..." she said.

"Mum! Mum, I love you too!" Kai said, desperate to reach her, to touch her, the mother he had never seen or spoken to...

"Kai, please be brave, don't give in, don't let them make you do what they want, don't give them the satisfaction..." she said.

"I'll try mother, but, please stay! Stay with me!" he begged her.

"I can't darling...I'm sorry..." she said, a tear running down her cheek.

She was slowly fading, and he could barely see her anymore.

"Mum! Mum wait! Don't go! Please don't go! Don't leave me! I need you mother! I love you!" Kai yelled out, trying to run towards her fading figure, desperate to touch her, just once...

...just once...

...

As he opened his eyes, he could barely see his surroundings. His vision was blurred from his deep sleep. He felt uncomfortable, couldn't move, could barely see. Blinking his eyes a couple of times, his vision finally cleared and realised that he was in the medical room, lying on one of the beds. A mask covered his mouth and nose, facilitating his breathing, but preventing him also from speaking. His whole body was covered in bandages and wires, connected to several parts of his body. He could also see that a couple of straps were tying him down to the bed, pinning his arms to his sides, and another strap ran over his ankles.

They're still afraid that I'll escape, even in this state, he thought.

And then, suddenly, his dream came back to him, and he remembered seeing his mother, begging him not to give up, to stand strong, as she had probably done when Boris had her in his clutches.

Mum...I'll survive, you'll see...I'll live through this! He thought, knowing she could hear him.

His body was aching, and he knew that he had been very close to death. It was a close call, and what shook him was the fact that Tsukino would really never be able to see him then!

I can't die, I won't die! He said to himself.


	10. Destruction of the Mind

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN BEYBLADE OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS. THIS IS JUST A FAN-MADE STORY!

Kasumi was standing before her masters, eager to report her success so far.

"So, how did it go?" asked Sergei.

"So far so good, sir. I've been accepted without any form of suspicion or reluctance. I have discovered that Mitsuhide Hiwatari is indeed working alongside Boris Balkov. They are plotting to take over the world," Kasumi explained.

"Hm, world domination has always been Balkov's dream," said Ludovico: "Excellent work Kasumi. Now your next goal will be to find out whether Kai Hiwatari is being held prisoner by them. Find out what they intend to do with him if he's there."

"Yes sir," said Kasumi: "I just hope that he's alright. He was only sixteen when he supposedly died, correct?"

"Indeed. Which means that if he is still alive, he would be eighteen," said Ludovico.

"Poor boy, I'll do what I can to find him...if he's alive..." said Kasumi.

Tsukino was strolling around the evening streets with Zaku, and the couple were holding hands. The street lamps illuminated the street in a fiery orange colour, which contrasted against the black bowl of the sky, bursting with clouds which obscured the innocent stars behind them.

"Such silence...it's so...romantic, isn't it?" said Zaku.

"Yes, it is," said Tsukino, wishing that it was Kai standing beside her.

"Pity the stars are hidden, they would have added the perfect touch," he continued.

"Huh, yeah," said Tsukino.

Suddenly, Zaku stopped and turned to face Tsukino.

"Tsuki...you're so beautiful," he said: "So gorgeous. You're my darling angel."

Tsukino could not stand to hear these words...when it was Kai who had often said them to her. Yet here was Zaku, taking his place, calling her Tsuki...calling her his angel...

"I love you, dear Tsuki," he continued: "Please say you love me too."

"I do," said Tsukino: "I do love you Kai."

It was out before she could stop it. She had said it unconsciously, without even knowing. Zaku flinched and his facial expression altered to a tense one.

"K-Kai? Who's Kai?" he said.

"N-No one!" Tsukino said quickly, but her shock was hard to miss.

"Oh yeah? Well I think that he IS someone," said Zaku.

"It was a mistake, I'm sorry Ka-Zaku."

Damn it! What am I doing? She inwardly panicked.

"There's someone else, isn't there?" Zaku took a step back. He looked hurt, and rather shocked.

"No! No there isn't! You have to believe me Kai! I love you! I will always love you Kai!" she blurted out. There was a sudden look of insanity on her face, and her eyes were bright and staring, as though she had just seen him for the first time.

Or rather...as though she was seeing someone whom she hadn't seen for a long time.

"Tsukino...what's wrong with you?" Zaku sounded almost afraid now, staring at her with a confused face.

"Kai! Don't leave! I'm begging you! I need you Kai! I love you! I LOVE YOU!" Tsukino's voice was rising to a hysterical one, and her attitude was bordering on the insanity.

"Tsukino! I'm Zaku! Hello? Zaku!" Zaku yelled back, dead scared of her sudden behaviour.

"No...Kai...it's you Kai..." she said, stepping towards him.

Zaku didn't want to leave her, but he had to admit that he was afraid of her now.

Because Tsukino had reached the point of hallucination. When Zaku had said the magic words, she began to see Kai infront of her, not Zaku.

"Kai...where were you? I was so worried about you! Why did you leave? I couldn't stand being alone!" she whined sadly, tears running down her face.

Zaku knew what he had to do, it was the only way! He approached her, whipped out his hand and slapped her across the face. He hated himself for doing it, but it was the only way to snap her out of it. A few strands of hair fell over her face, and for a moment, she was quiet.

Too quiet.

"Tsukino! Are you alright?" Zaku placed his hands on her shoulders, watching her with deep concern.

Tsukino turned to stare at him, and now she could really see him as Zaku, not Kai.

"Z-Zaku?" she stammered.

"Yeah, it's me! Are you alright? Man, you really scared me," he admitted. He was shaking, and was weak at the legs.

"I'm so sorry, I just...I..." Tsukino had no idea what to say. She felt sick, nauseated, and her head was throbbing.

"Let's go home Tsuki, you don't look too good, huh?" he asked.

"DON'T CALL ME THAT!" she suddenly raged, slapping his hand away.

"Hey, what the hell is wrong with you anyway?" he was starting to lose his patience. Was she a lunatic or something?

"Just stay away from me! Stay away from me!" she shouted, and with that, she spun around and tore off down the street, towards the direction of her house. Or so he thought.

"Tsukino! Tsukino wait!" he called after her, but it was too late.

She was gone.


	11. Pieces of the Puzzle

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN BEYBLADE OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS. THIS IS JUST A FAN-MADE STORY!

Tsukino raced towards his house, desperate to get there, because that was where he was, where he had to be. Her darling would be waiting there for her, she was sure of it. And when she arrived they would embrace, and he would stroke her hair and caress her face, and she would feel the touch of his lips on hers and hear his perfect voice once more.

At one point, she nearly tripped, but she steadied herself and kept on running, running towards him, because he was there. He was there...

But when she arrived, and stood facing the tall, desolate mansion and the empty stone fountain, he wasn't there. He wasn't waiting for her. No window was lit, no water rippled and flowed in the dry fountain, there was no sign of life. Nowhere...No one...Nothing...

She was completely alone.

Desperately, unable to believe, she dashed across the court towards the mansion and beat with her fists on the door.

"Kai! Kai I'm here! Please come to me Kai! Come to me!" she screamed, begging, trying to pull the door open, of the house to which Kai had never returned.

With one last hysterical scream, she broke down into sobs, crying as though she had only just heard of his death, tearing madly at her hair, clutching at her sodden face with her nails.

No one was there to hear her cry, no one was there to comfort her and tell her that it would all be alright.

No one ever was.

No one.

Zaku returned home, shaken and worried about Tsukino. It was late, and his parents were both asleep. The house was dark and silent.

After all the shock and yelling, he felt thirsty, so he went inside the kitchen, to find his sister there, leaning against the cupboard, deep in thought.

"Kasumi?" he said.

"Huh? Oh, Zaku. Why aren't you in bed?" she asked.

"Rough night. I was out with Tsukino, and man, she just lost it. She really scared me!" he said, pulling out a chair from the table and slumping onto it.

"Lost it? How?" Kasumi asked curiously.

"I dunno man, it's like she suddenly began to think that I was someone else. From what she said, it sounded like she thought I was some ex-boyfriend of hers who left her. She called me Kai," he said.

Kasumi froze at the name.

"Kai?" she repeated.

"Yeah, why?" he asked.

"Did she say anything else?" Kasumi persisted, watching him intently.

"Uh...not really. Just asked why he left her and that she loves him and needs him, stuff like that," he said hurtfully, wondering enviously who this Kai was.

"Zaku, where is she now?" Kasumi asked.

"She ran off to her house, crying," he said.

"I'm going to speak with her. I think I might know who this Kai is," said Kasumi. And I think I may be right, she added to herself.


	12. The Truth is Out

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN BEYBLADE OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS. THIS IS JUST A FAN-MADE STORY!

Kasumi tore up the street, panting and almost sweating. What if her hunch was right? What if Tsukino really was Kai's girlfriend? If that was so, then she had to do everything in her power to find out about Kai, and fast!

Poor Zaku, I hate to be doing this to him, but I have no other choice! She thought rather guiltily.

Half way up the current street she was in, the sounds of sobs reached her ears.

"Tsukino!" she yelled out, looking around her.

"Who's there?" a choked voice called out.

Noticing the direction of the voice, Kasumi ran towards it and found Tsukino crouched on the ground, her hair falling over her wet face, tears still flowing from her eyes.

"K-Kasumi?" she said.

"Tsukino, are you okay?" Kasumi asked worriedly, bending down towards her.

"N-no...I will never be okay...never...I was so damn stupid to think that I would ever be!" Tsukino resumed her crying and clutched her knees to her chin.

"Listen Tsukino, Zaku informed me of what you said earlier, what you called him," said Kasumi: "You called him Kai didn't you?"

"He was everything to me! I can't live without him, I just can't!" Tsukino moaned between sobs.

"Is he Kai Hiwatari?" Kasumi asked.

At this, Tsukino stopped crying abruptly and stared back at Kasumi.

"H-how did y-you-?"

"Listen Tsukino, there's a good chance that Kai might still be alive!" Kasumi blurted out. She was aware of the fact that she hadn't even found it out herself, but she had to let her know, she had to.

Tsukino flinched, and her face paled almost immediately. Had she heard correctly?

"Alive? Alive? Seriously? How?" Tsukino asked quickly, desperate for an answer.

"What happened is that his older cousin, Mitsuhide Hiwatari, kidnapped him and staged his death. He and his partner in crime are probably using Kai to take over the world. Now I'm not 100% sure of this, and I'm not actually supposed to even be telling you this, but it's the best explanation. You see, I'm currently working on it," Kasumi explained.

Tsukino fell into shocked silence, her heart was hammering madly, so much that she thought she would faint, and she felt shaken. Kai, alive, after the worst two years of her life...

"So, so Kai is...is...alive?" she asked.

"I cannot promise, but he probably is. Tomorrow, I'll try my best to come across him, and I'll let you know as soon as I find out, I promise," said Kasumi, pulling a lock of Tsukino's black hair behind her ear.

"Kai...I can't believe that he could be alive. I spent two years mourning him, tried to kill myself even, for nothing, because he was alive!" Tsukino exclaimed, shaking her head with disbelief.

"I'm sorry you had to suffer so much. Please, allow me to escort you home, your family must be worried about you," said Kasumi.

Tsukino nodded, and gingerly stood up. Together with Kasumi, she made her way home, thinking all the while of Kai.


	13. Hope for Kai

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN BEYBLADE OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS. THIS IS JUST A FAN-MADE STORY!

Hey guys/girls! Just to remind you all that Kasumi is Leah to Boris and his men, since she uses a fake name with them to protect her identity. Well, enjoy!

After Kai recovered and was freed from the medical room, security on him was tightened. He was kept locked up in his cell, bound securely with ropes, which bound his ankles, thighs, wrists and his arms pinned to his waist. He was also gagged with a thick cloth.

He was only freed from his bonds for training, which had increased his skills and reflexes.

The afternoon of the following day, Kasumi and Mitsuhide had been called to Boris's office.

"Mitsuhide, I will leave it in your hands to inform Leah of our secret weapon," said Boris.

"Of course! It would be my pleasure! Come, Leah, allow me to explain everything," said Mitsuhide, overjoyed that he had been given the honour of being with Leah.

The pair left the office and Mitsuhide began leading Kasumi towards Kai's cell. As they walked, he began to explain the details of their plan.

"As you know, me and Balkov would like to take over the world, and in doing so, we require a strong ally. My younger cousin, Kai Hiwatari (Kasumi's heart skipped a beat) is the perfect match, so we are currently using him as part of our plan. Naturally, being the fool that he is, he tried to oppose us, so we kidnapped him two years ago, faked his death to the public and are holding him against his will," Mitsuhide concluded.

"Why really? How fascinating. I can't wait to see this, Kai," said Kasumi.

"If he tries to attack you or get on your nerves, just beat him up, or let me know so I can deal with him," said Mitsuhide.

"I doubt I would be needing your assistance in that situation. I can be quite dangerous you know," said Kasumi.

"Hm. I was right to entrust you with our plans then," said Mitsuhide with a pleasant smile.

Damn Leah, you're such a dazzling dame. You make me want to simply ravish you, he thought lustily.

A moment later, they arrived before the locked door, and Mitsuhide took out a silver key and fitted it into the rusty keyhole. The door clicked open and swung inward creakily, allowing some light to filter into the room.

Kasumi followed Mitsuhide inside and instantly caught sight of a boy of about seventeen or eighteen years old, tightly bound and gagged and lying on his side on the stone floor. His dark grey hair was ruffled and his clothes were torn in various places, through which smears of dark blood were visible.

Man...what've they been doing to him? Kasumi thought anxiously.

"Hey, loser, guess what? Someone else has joined the party," said Mitsuhide.

Slowly and with evident pain and weakness, Kai raised his head and gazed at Kasumi, who tried her best to keep her face neutral.

"Leah here is interested in our plans, and unless you want to get on her bad side, you'd better behave. Got that, punk?" said Mitsuhide, aiming a kick at Kai's stomach, as he gave out a muffled cry of pain.

"Mitsuhide," Kasumi said quickly.

"Yes, Leah?" he answered, turning gracefully to face her.

"Would you mind if I had a little chat with your, weapon?" she said, knowing that he wouldn't decline.

"Why of course! Anything for you, dear Leah," Mitsuhide graciously replied.

As soon as he left, Kasumi quickly approached Kai and kneeled down before him. Gently, she slipped down his gag and said: "Kai, listen. I'm not one of them. I'm a spy working to stop them. I was told to find out if you were alive, and I also know your girlfriend Tsukino."

Kai couldn't believe it when she said Tsukino's name. Could this really be happening? Did this woman really know Tsukino?

"Tsukino...you know her? Really? Is she alright?" he quickly asked, desperate to know.

"Yes, she's fine. She was brokenhearted when she was told of your 'death', but now I will tell her. While I'm here, I'll watch over you and let you know about her. Don't worry Kai, I'll get you out of here," said Kasumi.

"Thank you, thank you so much. I miss her, I don't know how I managed these two years without her, not knowing how she was and whether or not she was safe. Those bastards put me through the worst torture anyone could endure," said Kai.

"I understand, it must have been very hard for you. But fear not, I won't leave this place without you. I will reunite you with Tsukino if it's the last thing I do," said Kasumi.

Suddenly, the door opened and Mitsuhide appeared.

"Leah, I hate to interrupt but Balkov wants to see us again," he said in an annoyed tone.

"Yes, of course," said Kasumi, and with that she stood up and left with Mitsuhide, eager to report to Tsukino that Kai was alive after all.


	14. Ray of Hope

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN BEYBLADE OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS. THIS IS JUST A FAN-MADE STORY!

That evening, Tsukino waited eagerly in the gardens near Kai's mansion, restless and anxious to hear about her beloved. Her darling Kai, if only he was alright! If only he was alive!

She fidgeted impatiently with her skirt, listening for any approaching footsteps and searching for any sign of her. After about 20 minutes, at 10:30 exactly, she saw her coming.

Tsukino sprang up from the bench she was sitting on and dashed towards Kasumi, who was already smiling reassuringly.

"He's alive!" she said.

"Yeah! He's alive! Oh my gosh I just can't believe it!" Tsukino's extreme joy was infectious, and Kasumi grinned at the excited teen.

"Is he alright? How is he?" she asked quickly.

"Well, he's a bit hurt but nothing serious. Um, he's being held tied up in a cell, and released only to be trained vigorously. Mitsuhide and Balkov are planning to rule the world and they need him to do it since he's brave, powerful and of promising talent," Kasumi explained.

"Oh my...I hope he'll be okay, poor Kai. We'll save him Kasumi, we'll get him out of there! Tell him that I love him with all my heart and to not give up hope," said Tsukino.

"Sure thing. I must go to report all this to my masters. Please tell no one of the information I am entrusting with you. It is top secret and should it get into the wrong hands, well, the situation will most definitely worsen," said Kasumi.

"I swear I won't tell a soul, but, can't I at least tell my family that Kai is alive?" asked Tsukino.

"I'm afraid not. Best to play it safe for now. After all, the important thing is that you know, that's what truly matters," said Kasumi.

"Very well, and thanks again Kasumi, you're a ray of hope for us," said Tsukino.

Kasumi smiled and ruffled the girl's hair, then made her way to her headquarters, in preparation for reporting.

Tsukino immediately made her way towards Zaku's house, bracing herself for his reaction. Now that she knew that Kai was alive, she could not be with Zaku anymore. She was sorry that she was going to hurt his feelings, truly, but compared to the pain which she had been forced to suffer, it was nothing at all.

She knocked on the door and waited, and a moment later Zaku himself opened the door.

"Tsukino?" he said: "Hey man, I was worried about you."

"I know, but Zaku, there's something you and I must talk about, and I'm afraid that it's not something pleasant either," said Tsukino.

"It's about this Kai, isn't it?" said Zaku glumly, stepping aside to allow Tsukino in.

"Yes, but it's nothing like you're probably thinking. You deserve an explanation and I'll give it to you," said Tsukino.

The pair went inside the small living room and sat down. For about 5 minutes, Tsukino explained in detail about what she had been through, and about her and Kai. Zaku listened attentively, amazed at the horrid experience Tsukino had endured. When she finished, he was left speechless, and could not help but gaze sadly down at his hands.

"That was...truly shocking, I'm sorry you had to suffer so much," he said.

"Thank you for understanding Zaku. I want you to know that you've been an excellent boyfriend to me, and I appreciate how well you've treated me. But I'm afraid that we can't be together anymore, not now I know that Kai is alive," she said slowly.

"I understand. I'm sorry, I did love you Tsukino, really. But I can never hope to match what Kai was to you," he said: "I hope that you'll be able to rescue him and have a happy life from now on."

Tsukino hugged him thankfully, glad that he had accepted.

"You're a very kindhearted person, Zaku. And I know that many girls like you. Perhaps, you will be able to find someone to return your love better than I have," she said.

"Yeah, huh, who knows," he said.

With a final warm goodbye, Tsukino left his house and began walking towards hers, feeling free and hopeful for the future that lay before her.


	15. Improvements

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN BEYBLADE OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS. THIS IS JUST A FAN-MADE STORY!

Kasumi watched as Mitsuhide attacked Kai violently, aiming punches at Kai, who blocked each of them effectively. She was concerned for Kai, anxiously waiting for the training to be over. At one point, Mitsuhide succeeded in hitting Kai in his chest and knocking him down to the floor.

"Still not good enough!" he said angrily, kicking him in his side.

Kai cried out and tried to stand, but Mitsuhide was already consumed by rage. He grabbed Kai's hair and yanked it back forcefully, kicking him in his arched back, which made Kai feel as though his neck was about to be torn off.

"Mitsuhide, control yourself!" Kasumi scolded, desperate for him to stop hurting Kai.

"Sorry Leah, I just can't resist beating up this bastard," said Mitsuhide, shoving Kai forward and slamming him against the wall.

"Why don't you let me take him to his cell? I bet I could do it better than you," Leah teased him, hoping that he would agree. After all, the fool was evidently infatuated by her.

"Ya think? Here, take him away, damn loser," said Mitsuhide, shoving Kai towards Kasumi: "I meant him not you!" he added quickly in case she had thought that he was calling her a 'damn loser'.

"See you later," said Kasumi. She took hold of Kai's arm and pulled him forward, trying to be gentle. When they were out of the room, she slackened her grip on him and whispered: "Tsukino knows that you're alive. She told me to tell you that she loves you with all her heart, and told you not to give up."

Kai smiled contentedly, and whispered: "Tell her that I'll survive for her, and that I love her too."

When they arrived at Kai's cell, Kasumi let him in and told him: "I'm sorry, but I'll have to tie you up or they'll know I'm working against them."

"Yeah, okay," said Kai, before he sat down on the floor and held his hands behind his back. Kasumi tied up his wrists and ankles and tied the cloth around his mouth, trying to keep his bonds a bit loose so as to not make him feel uncomfortable.

"Is it okay like this?" she asked.

Kai nodded.

"Good. I'll see you then," she said, rose to her feet and left the cell, locking the door behind her.

Kai relaxed against the wall, feeling more comfortable than usual since the ropes were not cutting into his skin and the fabric of the gag wasn't stifling his mouth. He felt tired, so he closed his eyes and leaned back, trying to sleep. The silence enveloped him, and soon he was asleep, dreaming of his mother, his father...

And Tsukino...


	16. Significant Discovery

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN BEYBLADE OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS. THIS IS JUST A FAN-MADE STORY!

The following day, Boris decided to have his surveillance footage for the past couple of weeks checked. He ordered this to be carried out every week, but this time around he had been busy and had forgotten to have it done. He liked to pay close attention to the one in Kai's cell, delighted in sick joy while watching Kai suffer in solitude. Kai had no idea that he had a camera installed in his cell, and this was purposely concealed to keep him in his natural behaviour.

This time, however, there was something of significant importance captured within the footage...

"Sir! We've discovered something quite interesting! Please come and take a look!" one of the men called out.

"What is it?" asked Boris as he walked towards them.

"Take a good look at this," said the man monitoring the video of Kai's cell: "This took place last week, when Leah first arrived."

The pair watched as Mitsuhide and Leah walked into the cell on the screen, and a while later, Leah was left alone with Kai. She approached him, lowered the cloth binding his mouth and said something to him. The two appeared to be having quite an important conversation, before Mitsuhide entered and the two left together.

"If you think that's something, then wait, there's more," said the man, as he pushed the 'fast-forward' button. A short while later, Leah was shown leading Kai inside, and appeared to be comforting him. Then she gently tied him up, consoled him and left.

"This took place yesterday, following Kai's training with Mitsuhide," he explained.

"Leah...is she working against us, behind our backs?" Boris growled angrily.

"It would appear so," the man replied.

"I'll get to the bottom of this. In the meantime, I want you to say nothing to anyone. We don't want her finding out just yet," said Boris.

"Yes sir," the man said immediately while Boris turned and walked away, clenching his fist in anger.

That evening, when Kasumi returned to Boris's building, she was walking down the corridor when Mitsuhide ran up to her.

"Dear Leah, won't you come with me to the main hall? Boris has called us there for a rather important matter," he said.

"Yes, of course," she answered, and began to follow him up the corridor.

Soon, they approached the large hall, which was spacious and illuminated with bright, white lights. It was rather barren of furniture since it's main purpose was to serve as a gathering place for Boris's men.

Kasumi went in, and noticed that Mitsuhide had retreated behind her. A moment later, she heard the lock clicking behind her, and whipped round to see Mitsuhide blocking her way out.

"What is the meaning of this?" she said angrily.

"I think that's my line...Kasumi," Mitsuhide replied.


	17. The Interrogation

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN BEYBLADE OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS. THIS IS JUST A FAN-MADE STORY!

4 Hours Earlier...

Kai was sitting alone in his cell, listening to the silence around him. He was so bored that it was driving him insane.

Suddenly, however, the door burst open and Mitsuhide and Boris strode in, both with murderous looks on their faces.

Kai suddenly felt afraid, wondering what on earth he had possibly done.

"Thought you could fool us, did you?" Mitsuhide hissed dangerously, before lunging at Kai and grabbing his arms. He pulled him up and began to drag him forcefully towards the door, while Kai screamed through his gag, trying to pull away with all his might. He was shoved out of the room and pulled towards one with a black, metal door, and thrown inside. The room was dark and empty, except for the straight-backed chair at the centre. He was forced down onto it and bound tightly to it with ropes, securing him. He could not move an inch, and could only stare fearfully at the two men who looked thirsty for his blood.

Mitsuhide approached him, and Kai braced himself, but he merely pulled down his gag. Kai breathed fast, gasping for air. Being constantly gagged had prevented him from breathing too freely.

"So, what relationship do you have with Leah? Talk!" Mitsuhide yelled, punching Kai hard in the face.

"Nothing! She doesn't know me! She treats me like you do!" Kai said quickly.

"LIAR!" Mitsuhide bellowed, aiming another fierce punch at Kai.

Kai's cheek was torn on the inside and he spat blood. How the hell had they found out?

"You may lie, Kai, but our surveillance cameras caught you and Leah red-handed. Unless you want to suffer a lot of pain, you'd better spill what you know," said Boris.

"I'll never tell you anything!" Kai said angrily.

Mitsuhide whipped out a long, sharp knife and said: "Very well, don't say we didn't warn you!" His voice was hysterical with insane rage and delight combined together. Grabbing Kai's hair, he wrenched back his head and began to trace a line on his neck with the knife, while Kai did his best not scream. He bit on his lip, desperate not to give them the satisfaction of hearing him cry out, but the pain seared through his neck as the knife cut into it, blood running down from the wound and soaking into the neck of his purple shirt. When Mitsuhide was done, he held the bloody knife close to his chin and hissed: "Does that tickle, or should I make it worse?"

Kai squeezed his eyes shut and inwardly cursed when a tear ran down his sore cheek. Although the cut wasn't deep, it still hurt like hell, and he begged himself not to give in.

"Very well," said Mitsuhide, slamming his head down and carving into the back of his neck. As he did so, he bit into the open wound, sinking his teeth into it and biting down hard, listening to Kai's uncontrollable screams.

"Now will you tell us?" he yelled, his teeth stained with Kai's blood.

"Please...stop it...please..." Kai cried, tears falling uncontrollably from his violet eyes, unable to bear the nauseating pain.

"It looks like you can't take it much more...then how about THIS?" Boris said as he plunged a knife into Kai's arm, twisting it until Kai broke into deafening screams of agony.

"Stop! Stop it! I'm begging you!" Kai bellowed, sobbing madly.

"Who's Leah? Tell us and we'll stop!" Boris ordered.

"She...she just...wants to help me...that's all..." Kai gasped.

"Really? Well I think you're hiding something!" Boris shouted.

"No...really!" Kai insisted desperately.

"We'll see about that! Tell me Kai, do you still love your dear Tsukino?" asked Boris.

Kai's eyes widened at the name, and Boris laughed.

"I'll take that as a yes! So tell me Kai, how would you feel if we were to hurt your precious?" he said with cruel delight.

"No! Leave her out of this! She has nothing to do with this!" Kai yelled, sucking in breaths of air as pain racked his body.

"I might leave her, if you tell us every single thing you know about Leah!" Boris raged, plunging the knife into Kai's thigh.

"Fine!...Just...please stop...!" Kai begged between sobs. He felt terrible for having to betray his only friend like this...

But he had no choice.


	18. A Tough Situation

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN BEYBLADE OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS. THIS IS JUST A FAN-MADE STORY!

Now, Kasumi was standing in the hall, staring at Mitsuhide with a look of shock. Had he just called her by her real name?

"Surprised? I would be too. In fact, I would also be afraid, Kasumi," said Mitsuhide.

The door at the other end opened and Boris went in, holding Kai to him. Kai was a mess, with blood cascading down his arm and thigh and even from his neck. His hands were tied behind his back and he was gagged.

"Let him go! Now!" Kasumi ordered, watching as Kai weakly slumped against Boris, agony racking his battered body.

"I don't think you're in any position to order us about, are you? Unless you want me to end Kai's life right this second, you'd better tell us what your business is!" Boris said, holding a knife to Kai's throat.

"I said leave him! He's not the one you want!" Kasumi raged.

"Is that so? Well think again, because Kai's exactly who I want!" Boris said, touching the knife to Kai's neck.

"You want him alive! If you kill him, all your plans will be ruined!" Kasumi yelled, but to her shock, Boris pressed the knife onto Kai's throat and red beads appeared.

"Did you not take me seriously? You'd be surprised at what I can do, Kasumi. Besides, Kai betrayed you! You are in danger because of him!" Boris said.

"I know that you must have really pushed him to the limit, because Kai is brave and loyal!" Kasumi shouted.

Mitsuhide laughed and said: "Boris, just finish him off, we don't really need a pathetic exuse of a brat like him, do we?"

"Well, Kasumi?" Boris asked, pressing the knife further into Kai's throat. At the sight of blood which began to appear, Kasumi realised that she had no choice.

"Very well! Just leave him alone! I will only tell you everything if you let him go right now!" Kasumi shouted, starting to feel afraid herself.

If something happened to Kai...she would never be able to look Tsukino in the eye again!

Mitsuhide grabbed her arm and led her out of the room, whilst Kai was thrown on the floor. He turned and retched, feeling sick with pain. As soon as he threw up the bile which stung his throat, he collapsed weakly on the ground in a dead faint.

An hour later, Kasumi had been forced to tell them everything, but she kept Sergei and Ludovico out of it. She knew that as soon as they found out about her disappearance, they would come to rescue her. But Kai's life was on the line, and he was suffering terribly, fighting for his life only so that he could be reunited with Tsukino. They were both in a tough situation which didn't look as though it would turn in their favour anytime soon.


	19. Tsukino Makes a Move

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN BEYBLADE OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS. THIS IS JUST A FAN-MADE STORY!

Kasumi had been locked up in a small stone cell, away from Kai. She had no idea where he was or what they had done to him, but she hoped that he was alright. Now, she only had one thing left, and thank goodness that she did! It was a special gadget which resembled a mere watch in it's physical form, but in reality, it allowed her to send messages. Since her cell phone had been confiscated so that she could contact no one, she had to use it. However, she did not intend to contact Ludovico and Sergei...

Tsukino was getting worried. Kasumi had not shown up and she was starting to suspect that she had been found out. If so, then she was in trouble, and so was Kai!

Calm down Tsukino, she scolded herself: Don't get ahead of yourself. Perhaps she had some business to take care of and couldn't contact me just yet. Yeah, that must be it.

However, while she was reading in her room, her cell phone received a message. Curious, she grabbed it from her bedside cupboard and checked it out. It read:

'Tsukino, this is Kasumi. I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I've been found out by Boris and Mitsuhide. Kai's in trouble, and I can't reach him from where I am. Please, go to my masters, follow this address and tell them who you are. Go with them, you must hurry, for Kai's sake.'

Tsukino was shocked, she read the message twice and pondered deeply over it. She had no choice left now but to follow Kasumi's orders and go to the place which she had given. She only hoped that it wasn't some kind of trap.

Half an hour later, she was making her way towards Kasumi's headquarters. She carefully followed the address that Kasumi had given her and hoped that she would make it. It took a while before she found it, going through streets which she had only briefly been through or never even seen. The houses here were dark and gloomy, and most appeared inhabited. She was starting to feel a little afraid, but she willed herself to go on, keeping in mind that this was her final chance to save Kai. Finally, she arrived before a tall building on the side of the road, whose walls shone slightly from the moonlight. It had many floors and windows, and two on the fourth floor were illuminated.

I hope everything's gonna be fine, thought Tsukino.

Bracing herself, she approached the front door, raised her fist and knocked.


	20. Moving Out

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN BEYBLADE OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS. THIS IS JUST A FAN-MADE STORY!

Tsukino waited with bated breath, and soon heard the sound of approaching footsteps, descending on the staircase within. Suddenly, the door opened and a tall man appeared, dressed in a black suit.

"How can I help you?" he asked, surveying her with curiosity.

"I'm here on Ms. Kasumi's orders. She's in danger," said Tsukino.

"Kasumi, in danger? Has she been caught?" the man asked.

"Yes. My name is Tsukino, and I am Kai Hiwatari's girlfriend. He's in danger as well," Tsukino continued.

"I see. Please come in," the man said, stepping aside to allow her in and closing the door behind her.

The two ascended the stairs to the men's office, and went in. Inside the office was another man, obviously Kasumi's other boss, who was browsing on the computer on the desk in the centre of the office.

"Sergei, who is this?" he asked, looking up from the screen.

"Ludovico, this is Tsukino, she is Kai Hiwatari's girlfriend. Kasumi sent her to tell us that she has been found out and that Kai is in danger," said Sergei.

"This is bad," said Ludovico: "We have no choice but to intrude personally. Sergei, call the police, we need back-up."

"Please, may I come too?" Tsukino begged.

"Uh, well," Ludovico hesitated: "These are dangerous matters. Coming with us would put your life in danger."

"Please, I need to save Kai myself. I haven't seen him for more than two years, and I can't stand to be held away from something as important as this! I'm ready to come, if you'd let me," said Tsukino.

"Very well then," said Ludovico, sensing Tsukino's determination: "However, we'll be protecting you at all times. Your life is our responsibility."

"Of course, thank you so much. This means a lot to me," said Tsukino.

Hold on Kai...I'm coming to save you, she thought.

15 minutes later, she got in the car with Sergei and Ludovico, with the police ready to leave with them. Tsukino hoped that it would all turn out fine. If anything happened to Kai this time, after she had been given another chance...well, she didn't even want to consider it.


	21. The Ambush

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN BEYBLADE OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS. THIS IS JUST A FAN-MADE STORY!

It was 11:00 before midnight when they arrived. The night was cold and the chilly air cut through their skin like blades of ice. The building that stood before them was black and sinister, and seemed to radiate evil. As it stood, tall and mighty, before them, it resembled some sort of bloodthirsty creature which would bear down on them at any moment.

"What a terrible place," Tsukino voiced her thoughts aloud and clutched her black polo.

"Typical of Balkov," Sergei remarked: "Now then, we'll all go in together. Tsukino, if anyone tries to hurt you, don't hesitate to give them a good beating."

"A good beating? I'll crush the life out of their miserable bodies for keeping Kai locked up in here!" said Tsukino, punching her fist into her open palm.

"Good! Now let's get 'em!" said Sergei, and together, the three of them and the police burst into the building, prepared to face the worst.

"Sir! We have intruders!" Boris's men rushed towards him as the alarm shone blood red and rang out with shrill screams.

"Let me see," said Boris, advancing towards the monitor.

On the screen were several police officers, already locked in combat with Boris's men. There were also a couple of men dressed in black suits, probably the spy, Kasumi's bosses.

And amongst them, was a young teenage girl of about Kai's age.

"That girl must be Tsukino, Kai's precious girlfriend. Hehehehe, this is going to be fun," said Boris slyly, a smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"Mr. Ludovico! I'm going to find Kai!" Tsukino shouted amidst the noise.

"Wait! I'll come with you! Sergei has gone to find Kasumi," said Ludovico. The two of them ran up the corridor, until suddenly, a wall descended between them, separating them from eachother.

"Tsukino!" Ludovico shouted: "Be careful! We'll find a way to you!"

"O-okay!" Tsukino yelled back, and wasting no time, tore up the corridor, desperate to get to Kai.

At the end of the corridor was a large circular room, illuminated by a dull red light from the alarm system. Tsukino entered it rather nervously, and looked around her. Suddenly, she heard the sound of approaching footsteps, the clicking of heels echoing off the walls. It was suddenly so silent that she felt afraid. Who the heck was coming? Was it Mitsuhide? Or that Balkov guy? Whoever it was, she knew it wasn't someone on her side.

From the opposite doorway, the figure of a man appeared, and when he stepped inside the room she could see him. He had purple hair and ice-cold eyes. He wore black clothes beneath a dull green trench-coat and long black boots. But what really made her heart stop beating and her skin pale, was the sight of Kai in his clutches.


	22. True Love

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN BEYBLADE OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS. THIS IS JUST A FAN-MADE STORY!

Tsukino stared in shock and horror at Kai, who could barely stand on his own feet. He had grown slightly, and would be terribly sexy if he wasn't bleeding from numerous wounds and gashes on his bruised body. His hair was messed up and blood-stained, and he could barely open his eyes to see her, even though he desperately wanted to. His wrists were handcuffed behind his torn back and a thick cloth was bound around his mouth, so tightly that it hurt his battered cheeks.

"What's the matter Tsuki? Aren't you happy to see your dear Kai again?" Boris asked, grinning evilly at Tsukino. She was speechless: the shock of seeing Kai again, after so long, in this way...

"Wh-what have you d-done to him?" Tsukino gasped, still staring at Kai's ruined form.

"I was just having some fun with him that's all. Why? Don't you like his new look?" Boris asked, enjoying every moment.

Kai opened his eyes and stared straight into Tsukino's. He had forgotten when he had last gazed into those beautiful eyes that filled his heart with love and hope. He was desperate to call out for her help, desperate to touch her, to speak to her.

He began to struggle in Boris's arms, trying to tear himself away from the cruel arms clutching him to the loving ones which would protect him.

"K-Kai..." Tsukino could barely speak. She felt sick, and her head was starting to spin.

"Mmmmmmm! Mmmphh! Mmpppphhh!" Kai screamed desperately into the fabric of his gag. He had to talk to her, he had to be with her. Now that they were so close again...

"Kai! Let him go!" Tsukino suddenly recovered from her shock and ran towards them. But Boris was prepared for everything. He took out a knife and held it pressed to Kai's bare throat.

"One more step, and I might consider letting you take Kai's head home!" Boris threatened, touching the tip of the knife to a wound on Kai's neck.

"NO! PLEASE! PLEASE DON'T HURT HIM! DON'T HURT HIM!" Tsukino screamed in panic, clutching at her face.

Boris laughed at the sight of her fear, delighting in it, thriving in it.

"I almost feel sorry for you. To spend two years crying over poor Kai, only to lose him again right before your very eyes!" said Boris.

"Please! Please I'll do anything! Anything if you'd let him go! Please give him back! Give him to me! I'm begging you!" Tsukino begged, sobbing in fear, desperate to take her darling to safety.

"I have nothing left to gain from him. He is a pathetic brat and is no longer of any use to me! Why should I let him live?" Boris raised the knife.

Tsukino screamed, a deafening scream that echoed off the walls, a shrill scream of despair, as she lunged herself at Boris and with all her might grabbed his arm and wrenched it back with an inhuman force. Boris yelled and dropped the knife, his arm slumping to his side, broken and lifeless.

"You little beast!" he spat, rage filling his eyes which now burned with fire.

Tsukino grabbed Kai and stood before him, holding the knife with both hands.

"Just try and make a move towards him, and I'll tear your skin off!" she hissed menacingly, gritting her teeth with the rage that consumed her.

Suddenly, the police broke in, along with Sergei, Ludovico and Kasumi, who appeared unharmed.

Sergei and Ludovico rushed towards Tsukino, ready to protect her.

"Great job Tsukino!" said Sergei.

Tsukino sighed in relief and dropped the knife, sinking next to Kai. She tore his gag off and crushed him to her, kissing him with a burning passion and with fierce longing. She refused to take her arms off him as she embraced him closely, relishing the feel of his warm skin, thriving in the touch of his lips, alive with insane love as she felt his heart beating against hers. Sergei released him from the handcuffs and Kai wound his arms around Tsukino, pressing her close to him, feeling her soft her with his hand and caressing her sweet face. They were both crying, but both were insanely glad to be in eachother's arms again.

"I thought I had lost you, I thought I would never see you again! My darling, my angel," Tsukino ran her fingers through his hair, feeling it's softness, feeling it's gentle touch against her face.

"I love you Tsuki, I need you. We'll never be separated again, no one can separate us, you and I will always be together," Kai whispered lovingly, gazing into her gentle eyes which shone bright with tears of love.


	23. A New Life with an Angel

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN BEYBLADE OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS. THIS IS JUST A FAN-MADE STORY!

After the whole epic showdown, Kai was rushed to the hospital with Tsukino accompanying him. Boris and Mitsuhide were dragged to prison and charged of several criminalities, including murder, abuse, torture and kidnap amongst others. Both were sentenced to spend the rest of their lives in prison, much to Tsukino and Kai's joy.

The following day, Tsukino went back to the hospital to visit Kai, and immediately rushed to ask the nurse how he was.

"His health is improving greatly. He was in a rather terrible state when he arrived here, sporting several deep wounds, some broken bones and urgent blood loss. But don't worry, he's turning out alright. You may go and visit him if you'd like," the nurse said.

"Thanks, I'll go right now," said Tsukino, and anxiously made her way to his room. When she found it and slowly went in, she found that he was sleeping. Several bandages covered his body and numerous wires connect him to machines. She walked over to him and sat down on a chair beside his bed, gazing at his beautiful face, which she had been deprived of seeing for so long. Gently, she found his hand and held it in hers, caressing it with her fingers. A moment later, he weakly opened his eyes and turned to look at her, smiling contentedly when he saw her.

"Hey sweetie, how are you?" asked Tsukino, reaching out with her free hand to caress his cheek.

"Not bad...I missed you Tsuki," he said, gazing back at her.

"I was so worried about you. I can't wait until you recover. I want us to be together again, like we used to," Tsukino admitted.

"Don't worry. I'll be fine," said Kai: "I just can't...can't get them out of my head...and what they did to me..."

"They'll never bother us again. I hope they rot in prison, then I hope they'll burn in hell because that's exactly where they belong! I'll make it all better, Kai. I'll help you forget everything, your past, your experiences, everything. You and I will build up a future of our own and that will become your home," said Tsukino.

Kai smiled and squeezed her hand. He felt so lucky to have her. She was truly an angel, she had to be. The dull stare in his eyes had been extinguished and replaced by the bright gaze which had been there before. Sure he still had nightmares, but at least his life was worth living now. Contrary to how it used to be, now he had a purpose and someone who really did love him, who really did care about him. Someone to give him hope when he was sad, to raise his spirits when they fell.

This was a new life, a new start.


	24. Epilogue

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN BEYBLADE OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS. THIS IS JUST A FAN-MADE STORY!

When Kai fully recovered and left the hospital, he and Tsukino went back to enjoying a beautiful relationship together. They spent even more time with eachother, relishing eachother's company and thriving in the love they shared between them. Nothing and no one ever stepped in between them again, and nothing and no one could and would ever be able to separate them. At the age of 24, they married and spent their lives together, supporting eachother with the true love that held them together. They lived together in Kai's mansion, finally filling it with a happy soul that had been torn out when Kai's parents had been murdered.

And Boris and Mitsuhide were left to curse their sorry lives in prison, and after their death, well, we all know where their final destination was!

So that's it! I hope you enjoyed the story! I don't really have any ideas for a new story yet, but if I do I'll start writing right away!

Love ya! :)


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